Despite a 1-0 series lead against Northbridge, Leominster American Legion Post 151 manager Jeff Dedeian cautions that this best-of-three Phil Samko Zone 4 playoff series is far from a lock.

"They are a very, very good team," said Dedeian about Northbridge. "The last few years they've been the team in the zone to beat. They love to mash and they're scary at the plate."

Second-seeded Leominster and No. 5 Northbridge have played three tight games this season, including two extra-inning affairs, and Post 151 hasn't lost yet.

In the regular season, Leominster pulled out a 2-1 home win in eight innings on June 20, and traveled to Northbridge on July 10 for a 7-5 triumph in eight innings.

"That tells me that we're pretty close to each other," Dedeian said. "We have to know that we can't show up and just expect to win. We know we need to do some things better. We just can't be happy when we score a few runs; we have to put teams away."

Game 2, scheduled for Tuesday, was rained out and will be played at Northbridge Middle School Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. If Post 343 staves off elimination, the deciding if-necessary Game 3 is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Pin Cannavino Field in Leominster.

The winner advances to the state sectionals.

"I want them to play the same way they've been playing all year," Dedeian said. "I want them to play with passion and most importantly have fun."

Backed by the right arm of ace Matt Russell and some timely RBI singles by Nathan Nash, Sean Mullaney and Ryan Lever, Leominster claimed a 1-0 series lead over Northbridge, 3-1, Monday evening.

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"It's very important, especially because we had Matty on the mound," said Dedeian about not having to play from behind in the series. "Being up 1-0 doesn't mean anything, we have to be ready to go (Wednesday)."

Hard-throwing righty Kyle Clutler, of Clinton, who will attend Fitchburg State University in the fall, gets the start on the hill in Game 2 for Leominster.

"He's been huge for us," Dedeian said. "He needs to be down in the zone and let the defense make the plays."

Pitching and defense has certainly been Post 151's calling card all season long. When the offense has vanished at times, Leominster has been able to stay afloat with great mound performances and some brilliance in the field.

"Our pitching gives us a pretty good shot, but I wish our offense could help us out a little bit more," Dedeian said.

But Leominster got a nice boost to the lineup with the return of Dylan Poulin, whose serious heart condition has kept him off the field recently.

"He understands that life is more important than a baseball game," Dedeian said.

Poulin served as the designated hitter in Game 1 and went 1 for 3.

"He is day-to-day," Dedeian said.

Dedeian says Poulin is penciled in as the starting catcher in Game 2, however. Poulin, an Oakmont Regional grad, hasn't been behind the plate since July 10 at Northbridge.

"He gives us another bat and that's something that we've been lacking," Dedeian said.